Isle of Stronsay, Orkney Isles
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Walks shouldnβt ever be thought of as an exercise in box-ticking, but carry a list with you of all Orkneyβs most familiar seabirds while exploring this southeastern portion of Stronsay and youβre quite likely to return with a full house of sightings. For several weeks centred on early summer, the cliffs for miles around Burgh Head fill up with thousands of seabirds. The area isnβt particularly notable for sheer numbers; whatβs special is the variety of birds present over a short distance: from puffins and guillemots to shags, gulls and the watchful eyes of passing fulmars just to start. The coastal scenery is superb year-round, starting with the collapsed Vat of Kirbuster sea cave (locally referred to as gloup), continuing past a succession of sea stacks and deep geos to the nearly-island at Lamb Head. An exquisite outing, at least until the tedious tarmac return.
Chronological photo guide
Cows near the start 
Shags 
Black guillemots 
Fulmar 
Geo north of Vat of Kirbuster 
Vat of Kirbuster 
Moth 
Two castles 
Geo south of Two Castles 
Seal 
Seagull (?) chicks 
Stacks & cliffs 
Guillemots 
Guillemots 
Guillemots 
Approaching Burgh Head 
Puffins 
Skua 
The Brough sea stack, Burgh Head 
Geo beyond The Brough 
View ahead towards Lamb Head 
Looking back towards Burgh Head 
Cows near the Geo of Gessan 
Geo of Gessan 
Lamb Bay 
Broch on Lamb Head 
Whale remains at the Bay of Houseby
Location
O.S. Grid Reference: HY 681241
GPS coordinates: 59.102292,-2.557874
No public transport within 1 mi
Layby for Vat of Kirbuster
Key info
12 km / 7 mi | β² 170 m |
3.5-4 hr
Features:
Vat of Kirbuster gloup;
Lamb Head broch
⬀ Moderate | Good path to Vat of Kirbuster becomes faint soon after. Pathless sections later on, mostly on short turf. Long (3 mi) tarmac return (or return by outward route).
Clockwise circuit: start β Vat of Kirbuster β Two Castles β Burgh Head & The Brough β Lamb Head & broch β Bay of Houseby to road at G.R.: HY 676221 β South Schoolhouse β Everbay β start
On our last visit
Wildlife: Seabirds including puffins, fulmars, shags, guillemots, black guillemots, skuas. Seals, rabbits, butterflies; crabs at lamb bay. Remains of a whale carcass at Bay of Houseby.
Weather: Sunny at start but gradually clouding over, with prolonged rain shower from Bay of Houseby onwards. Temperatures in low teens, light winds.
July 2016
